Henry Clay boys volleyball set to take on South Warren in state semifinals
Henry Clay advanced to the KHSAA boys volleyball state tournament semifinals with a 3-1 win against region rival Lafayette on Friday at home in a contest that proved a lot tougher than the Blue Devils’ win against the Generals four days earlier.
“Our emotions ran high. It was a very emotional game. Lafayette played amazing,” Henry Clay coach Luke Grupe said. “I’m happy that my guys stuck with it and kept it going. They never got too down. They just kept pushing.”
Henry Clay prevailed 26-24, 25-21, 24-26, 27-25 despite trailing in every set they eventually won, including a fourth set in which it faced a 21-17 deficit and two Lafayette set points.
Henry Clay swept Lafayette 25-22, 25-13, 25-18 on Monday for the first KHSAA 7th Region title and then blew out Powell County 25-6, 25-5, 25-7 in the state tournament’s first round.
Next, the Blue Devils (22-7) face South Warren (14-3) out of Bowling Green at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the state semifinals at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester. The Spartans, who only played fellow 1st Region teams in the regular season, stunned coaches’ poll No. 7 West Jessamine on Friday with a 3-1 win in Bowling Green (26-24, 25-23, 16-25, 25-23).
“I’ve already asked West Jess to send me that film,” Grupe said. “Apparently (South Warren) played with a lot of emotion. … I’m happy we have someone new to play.”
No. 1 St. Xavier (29-1) and No. 3 DeSales (24-6) will play in the 11 a.m. semifinal Tuesday, also at GRC Arena. Henry Clay shared the No. 3 ranking in the final coaches’ poll of the regular season. South Warren was unranked.
The semifinal winners square off that night at 7:30 p.m. at Clark for the first-ever KHSAA sanctioned boys volleyball state championship.
BOYS STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
Friday and Saturday’s quarterfinals
(At home sited determined by draw)
DeSales 3, Louisville Holy Cross 0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-22).
St. Xavier 3, Louisville Trinity 0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-23).
South Warren 3, West Jessamine 1 (26-24, 25-23, 16-25, 25-23).
Henry Clay 3, Lafayette 1 (26-24, 25-21, 24-26, 27-25).
Tuesday’s semifinals and finals
(At George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester)
11 a.m.: St. Xavier vs. DeSales.
1:30 p.m.: Henry Clay vs. South Warren.
7:30 p.m.: Championship game.
This story was originally published May 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM.
